Marsdenia
(named after William Marsden, F.R.S., 1754-1836, author of a History of Sumatra). Including Harrisonia. SYNS. Leichardtia and Sicyocarpus. ORD. Asclepiadeae. This genus comprises about sixty species of stove, greenhouse, or half-hardy, twining or rarely sub-erect shrubs or sub-shrubs, disposed over the tropical regions of the New, as well as the Old, World, with one species extending to the East Mediterranean region. Flowers small or medium, much smaller than in Stephanotis; calyx five-parted; corolla campanulate, urceolate, or rarely salver-shaped or sub-rotate. Leaves opposite. Marsdenias thrive in a sandy loam, with a little leaf mould or peat. Propagated, during April or May, by cuttings, inserted in sand, under a bell glass, in gentle bottom heat.
M. Cundurango (Cundurango). fl. whitish; corolla between bell-shaped and funnel-shaped, very firm. Summer. l. stalked, oblong-rotundate, acute or acuminate, with greyish-yellow hairs beneath. Central America. Stove climber. SYN. Gonolobus Cundurango.
M. erecta (erect). fl. white, sweet-scented, numerous; segments of the corolla limb beardless; cymes umbel-formed. July. l. cordate-ovate, acute. Stem erect. h. 3ft. to 6ft. South-east Europe and Asia Minor, 1597. Half-hardy sub-erect shrub.
M. flavescens (yellowish). fl. yellowish; cymes many-flowered; corolla sub-rotate. June and July. l. oblong-lanceolate, acuminated, somewhat undulated, glabrous above, clothed with hoary tomentum beneath. New South Wales, 1823. Stove twining shrub. (B. M. 3289.) M. loniceroides (Lonicera-like). fl. red; corolla fleshy, urceolate; umbels pedunculate, terminal. Autumn. l. opposite, decussate, 2in. to 3in. long, elliptic-cordate, obtuse. h. 6ft. Brazil, 1825. Erect stove shrub. (B. M. 2699, under name of Harrisonia loniceroides.) M. maculata (spotted). fl. variegated, pale green and purplish-brown; cymes umbelliform, sub-sessile; sepals roundish, ciliate; corolla rotate-infundibular. June to August. l. broad-elliptic, spotted, cordate. h. 20ft. Trinidad, 1834. Plant glabrous. Stove climber. (B. M. 4299.) M. suaveolens (sweet-scented). fl. white, fragrant; corolla with a ventricose tube and a bearded throat; panicles axillary, six to eight-flowered. July. l. oval-lanceolate, glabrous, veinless. Stem erect or twining. h. 2ft. to 3ft. New South Wales, 1816. Greenhouse shrub. (B. R. 489.) M. tenacissima (very tough). fl. greenish-yellow; corolla salver-shaped, segments broad, obtuse; cymes large. June. l. cordate, acuminated, tomentose on both surfaces. Stem twining. India, 1806. Greenhouse shrub.